FIFA has expressed concern about lower-than-expected public interest ahead of the 2026 World Cup, even though the competition will be the first in history to feature 48 teams, İdman.Biz reports.
According to information circulating on social media, including posts from The Touchline, a significant number of tickets remain unsold with just four months to go before kick-off. The apparent mismatch between the scale of the event and the level of fan engagement has reportedly puzzled officials inside the governing body.
The tournament, hosted jointly by the United States, Canada and Mexico from 11 June to 19 July 2026, will include 104 matches across 16 stadiums. FIFA president Gianni Infantino recently told the World Economic Forum in Davos the competition is projected to attract around seven million stadium spectators and roughly six billion television viewers worldwide.
Infantino also highlighted that more than 500 million ticket requests were submitted during the first sales phase, noting FIFA has sold roughly 50 million tickets across nearly a century of World Cup history. Despite those figures, organisers are now monitoring demand closely as preparations intensify.
The 2026 edition represents the largest expansion in the competition’s history and a major commercial test for football in North America, where organisers hope global appeal will translate into late ticket sales and travelling supporters.
